Gayle stars for Bangalore in IPL victory

However, absence of AB also meant that struggling Gayle gets another opportunity to showcase his "World Boss" status.

Skipper Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle gave Bangalore a blistering start by 122-run opening partnership off 76 balls and helped post the highest total of IPL 10.

In reply, Brendon McCullum hit 72 off 44 deliveries with seven sixes and two fours, but the Lions fell short by 21 runs.

The spin department still looked unimpressive even after return of Ravindra Jadeja who has been handy with both the bat and ball But, the other spinners like Shadab Jakati and Shivil Kaushik proved to be expensive when they were given a chance. Gayle's onslaught stopped only when Basil Thampi sent him back, trapping plumb in front of the wickets. Lions conceded just 36 in the first five overs, with Gayle and Kohli far from set. They (bowlers) have to vary their pace, bowl slow.

The over, in which the Challengers collected 21 runs, unveiled the destructive side of Gayle and it was a sign of things to come.

The New Zealander took a stunning one-handed catch on the dive on the long-off boundary but, while sliding, the brim of his hat touched the boundary rope and his admission saw a six awarded and earned a handshake from Kohli. This was no surface to punch through the line, so he tried to charge down the pitch and was beaten in trying to hit out. Kohli, on the other hand, started off brilliantly, hitting three back-to-back fours to Kulkarni in the third over. Kohli still managed 64 from 50 balls. Signs of recovery from a shoulder injury were evident as he swiveled and pulled without discomfort to bring up a half-century.

The Aussie crew: Travis Head added his own fireworks with 30 from 16 balls batting at No.3 for RCB, while Western Australia bowler Andrew Tye returned a respectable economy of just 8.5 in the face of the RCB onslaught. Kohli went running towards the boundary to congratulate McCullum for the brilliant catch, thus earning some Fairplay points. With 4234 runs, Suresh Raina is marginally ahead of Virat Kohli at 4200.

McCullum's innings, which included seven sixes and two fours, was ended four balls into the 15th over when he skied Yuzvendra Chahal to fellow Kiwi Adam Milne at deep mid-wicket. To rub salt on the home team, Jadhav slammed Jadeja for 17 runs in the final over that forced the left-arm spinner to record his most expensive T20 spell, 4-0-57-0. Brendon McCullum, Aaron Finch, Raina and Dinesh Karthik provided the solid platform but the lower-middle order failed to step up to the pressure. Negi continued to trust his weapon - flight - and deceived Finch as Jadhav effected a smart stumping. The remaining 10 overs, bowled by the pacers, leaked 120 runs.

The 35-year-old went on to register his second successive half-century but as the asking rate rose, he mistimed a big shot and was caught by former global team-mate Adam Milne at deep mid-wicket.

Seventh and eighth meet on Tuesday in Rajkot as the Gujarat Lions take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore with both teams desperately seeking a win. McCullum's wicket, however, took the fizz out of the chase.